Newsmakers
Sued A former gym owner has sued the authors of a book that details the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs by pitcher Roger Clemens. Kelly Blair claimed in a defamation lawsuit filed Monday in Harris County, Texas, that the authors falsely accused him of being a steroids dealer in an underground network.
Leaving Forward Linas Kleiza, who played four years in Denver, is taking his game to Europe. Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien said Kleiza has chosen to play for Olympiakos, agreeing to a two-year deal worth more than $12 million. Warkentien said Kleiza’s agent, Bill Duffy, informed him of the signing.
Re-signed The Boston Celtics are bringing back Glen “Big Baby” Davis. The Celtics announced that they’ve re-signed the power forward to a new deal. It’s reportedly for two years. Davis, a two-year pro out of Louisiana State, was a restricted free agent.
Agreed Veteran forward Mike Grier has agreed to a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres. The deal brings Grier back to the team he played with from 2004-06. He was considered a leader on the Sabres club that reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2006.
Signed The Nashville Predators have signed restricted free agent forward Ryan Jones. The team said in a news release that Jones has signed a two-year, $975,000 contract. He played 46 games with the Predators during his rookie season, scored 17 points with seven goals and 10 assists.
Sidelined Tampa Bay receiver Antonio Bryant has a torn meniscus in his left knee that will sideline him for the remainder of training camp. Bryant will undergo arthroscopic surgery.
Injured Two more Philadelphia Eagles have gone down during an injury-filled training camp. Backup quarterback Kevin Kolb sprained a ligament in his left knee and former Pro Bowl defensive end Trent Cole sprained his left shoulder in practice.
Out The U.S. Tennis Association says former No. 1 Carlos Moya of Spain is pulling out of the U.S. Open because of a foot injury. The departure means that 106th-ranked Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador moves into the tournament’s main draw. The U.S. Open begins Aug. 31.
Died The widow of New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle has died at a hospice facility in Plano, Texas. She was 77. Family spokesman Marty Appel said that Merlyn Mantle died from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. She had not appeared in public since last August, at a private dinner before a memorial for former Yankees star Bobby Murcer.